GB2234975A

GB2234975A - Dry ski matting

Info

Publication number: GB2234975A
Application number: GB9016330A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Donald Bower
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-08-18
Filing date: 1990-07-25
Publication date: 1991-02-20
Anticipated expiration: 2010-07-25
Also published as: GB2234975B; GB9016330D0

Abstract

Dry ski matting for use on a dry ski slope is formed by moulding a mixture of polyethylene and a silicone. <IMAGE>

Description

DRY SKI MATTING FOR USE ON A DRY SKI SLOPE This invention relates to dry ski matting for use on a dry ski slope.

Dry ski matting for use on dry ski slopes is well known. The known matting is often not sufficiently robust in use and/or is not sufficiently slippery.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problem.

Accordingly, this invention provides dry ski matting for use on a dry ski slope, which dry ski matting is formed by moulding a mixture of polyethylene and a silicone.

The silicone acts as a lubricant for the polyethylene.

The silicone thus gives the polyethylene prolonged surface lubrication, with the polyethylene giving a good strong robust dry skiing surface. Any desired and suitable silicone may be employed. The silicone may be used in any desired and suitable form, e.g. liquid form. A presently preferred silicone is a dimethyl silicone.

Usually, the silicone will be compounded with the polyethylene prior to the moulding.

Preferably, the dry ski matting is one in which the silicone is compounded with the polyethylene, and in which the mixture is extruded and pelletised prior to the moulding.

Preferably, the polyethylene is low density polyethylene. Also preferably, the low density polyethylene is linear low density polyethylene. The linear low density polyethylene is especially strong.

The silicone is preferably present in an amount of up to 10% by weight. If more silicone is employed, difficulty may be encountered in compounding the silicone with the polyethylene unless special mixing techniques are employed.

The silicone preferably has a viscosity of 10,000 - 60,000 centistokes. A particularly preferred viscosity for the silicone is 30,000 centistokes.

Preferably, the mixture of the polyethylene and the silicone is moulded by injection moulding. Other moulding techniques may however be employed if desired.

Preferably, the ski matting is in the form of moulded tile mats which are able to be linked together.

The tile mats will usually be square but other shapes such for example as rectangular or hexagonal shapes may be employed if desired.

The tile mats may each have a plurality of holes and a plurality of areas having upstanding finger members.

The areas having the upstanding finger members will be the areas over which skiing takes place.

The tile mats may have clip members and recesses for receiving the clip members of other tile mats. Other ways of connecting the tile mats together may be employed.

The ski matting can be in forms other than the above mentioned tile mats.

The ski matting may have the following properties: Melt Flow Index 3.2g/10 mins. (2.16 kg at 1900c) Brittleness Temperature: < -700C to AST M D746 Environmental Stress: Excellent to AST M D 1693 Ultra Violet Stability: Excellent Softening Point: 111 C.

The invention also extends to a dry ski slope comprising the dry ski matting.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure I is a plan view of a piece of dry ski matting; and Figure 2 is an end view of the piece of dry ski matting shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a piece of dry ski matting in the form of a tile mat 2. The tile mat 2 is square in plan as can be seen from Figure 1. The tile mat 2 is made by moulding a mixture of linear low density polyethylene and a silicone. The silicone is compounded into the polyethylene.

The tile mat 2 has a plurality of different shaped holes 4 as shown. Rows of upstanding finger members 6 are positioned between the holes 4. The dry skiing takes place over the top of the finger members 6.

The tile mats 2 clip together. More specifically, the tile mats 2 have clip members 8 which extend from two adjacent sides of the tile mats 2 as shown. The other adjacent two sides of the tile mats 2 are provided with recesses 10 into which clip members 8 from other tile mats 2 clip.

The tile mat 2 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is 220mm square. It is to be appreciated that the tile mat 2 can be made to be larger or smaller and in other shapes if desired.

Similarly, other methods of clipping the tile mats 2 together can be used. Further, ski matting in forms other than the tile mat 2 may also be produced.

In order to promote a full and complete understanding of the present invention, reference will now be made to the following Example.

EXAMPLE A plurality of tile mats 2 were produced by compounding a dimethyl silicone into linear low density polyethylene. The amount of the dimethyl silicone present was 9% by weight of the polyethylene and the dimethyl silicone had a viscosity of 30,000 centistokes. The compounded mixture was extruded and pelletised, and then injection moulded to form the ski mat 2.

A plurality of the tile mats 2 were formed into a dry ski slope and they were compared with a known dry ski slope. The dry ski slope produced by the tile mats 2 of the present invention gave better wear and an easier sliding surface. In both cases, the precise construction of the ski mats 2 were identical so that the improved properties of the ski mats 2 of the present invention were directly attributable to the material from which the ski mats 2 were produced.

Claims

1. Dry ski matting for use on a dry ski slope, which dri ski matting is formed by moulding a mixture of polyethylene and a silicone.

2. Dry ski matting according to claim 1 in which the silicone is a dimethyl silicone.

3. Dry ski matting according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the silicone is compounded with the polyethylene prior to the moulding.

4. Dry ski matting according to any one of the preceding claims in which the silicone is compounded with the polyethylene, and in which the mixture is extruded and pelletised prior to the moulding.

5. Dry ski matting according to any one of the preceding claims in which the polyethylene is low density polyethylene.

6. Dry ski matting according to claim 5 in which the low density polyethylene is linear low density polyethylene.

7. Dry ski matting according to any one of the preceding claims in which the silicone is present in an amount of up to 10% by weight.

8. Dry ski matting according to any one of the preceding claims in which the silicone has a viscosity of 10,000 - 60,000 centistokes.

9. Dry ski matting according to claim 8 in which the silicone has a viscosity of 30,000 centistokes.

10. Dry ski matting according to any one of the preceding claims in which the mixture of the polyethylene and the silicone is moulded by injection moulding.

11. Dry ski matting according to any one of the preceding claims and which is in the form of moulded tile mats which are able to be linked together.

12. Dry ski matting according to claim 11 in which the tile mats are square.

13. Dry ski matting according to claim 11 or claim 12 in which the tile mats each have a plurality of holes and a plurality of areas having upstanding finger members.

14. Dry ski matting according to any one of claims 11 to 13 in which the tile mats have clip members and recesses for receiving the clip members of other tile mats.

15. Dry ski matting for use on a dri ski slope, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. A dry ski slope comprising dri ski matting as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.